Dispenser



Sept. 18, 1934. F. c. scHoENlNG DISPENSER Filled oct'. 9. 1951 E l RM O C m5 J Mci/W FREDERI L BY A ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1934 vPATENT oi-FICE Y UNITED STATES 1,974,316 DISPENSER- Frederick C. Schoening, New York, N. vvY. Application october 9, 1931, serial No. 567,775 2o claims..v (o1.` :zal-10's)l This invention'relates to improvements in dispensing and measuring apparatus, and particularly to an apparatus for dispensing material in powder form in predetermined or measured quantities, particularly such powders as are used for making chocolate drinks, malted milk, or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide means in such an apparatus for maintaining a progressive low of the powder in the container, sol that when a new charge is put into the container, the remainder of the previous charge will be disposed of rst, and thus the contents can not accumulate and grow stale.

Another object is' to provide a positive and effective means of stirring the dispensed material, `andalso of iilling the charge measuring pockets.- Y

A further object is to provide a dispenser of this character which is easily adapted to measure different quantities of powder up to a certain maximum quantity.

Finally, an object is to provide such a dispenser with means to prevent atmospheric moisture Y from 'entering it, which makes difficult the dispensing of certain kinds'of material from the dispenser.

All these and other objects, as suggested herebeloW, are attained by the method and means now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- A Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in cross section, showing the completely-assembled dispenser with its main operating parts in fully assembled operative position.

Fig. 2 is a top sectional view through the line 2-2 of Fig.. 1, but with the stirrer removed.

Fig. 3 is amutilated'top plan'view, Vpartly in section, through the line'3-3 of Fig. 1.

shown in cross section in Fig. 1.

Like numerals'refer to like parts throughout the several Views. l

The device consists essentially of an upright cylindrical container 10, Fig. 1, made preferably of sheet metal or other suitable material, and equipped-with a suitable removable top or lid 11. Its bottom wall or guard plate 41 has two openings, as shown bounded by the numerals 12- 13-14-15 and 16-17-. 1819, Fig. 2.

Container l0 isremovably mounted in a container holder 20, Fig. 1, which in turnis fastened to aheavy metal stand 21. The bottom wall of 'the container holder '20 has a discharge opening 22, Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view -of the guard plateV A measuring wheel 24, Figs. 1 and 2, is positioned between container 10 and container holder 20. 'I'his wheel consists of a hub from which radiates a plurality of' metal blades or4 arms. Wheel 24 is keyedto sleeve 25, Fig. 1, to the lower end of which is secured a ratchet wheel 26, Figs. 1 and 3, said sleeve beingfree to revolve about an inner shaft 39. When assembled, the arms of the measuring wheel 24 define a circular succession of pockets, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, which are adapted to be successively placed in register or alignment with the discharge opening 22. The step-by-step `movernent of the measuring wheel 24 and its attached ratchet 26, is accomplished by moving a hand lever 2'? toward a stationary thumb rest 28, Fig. 3. By such movement, a pawl 29 which is spring-pressed inwardly byA means of a small spiral spring (not shown) wound` around it and anchored at each end in the usual manner, is caused to'engage ratchet26-which, by the way, has thesame number of teeth as the measuring wheel has radial arms (in this instance nine)-to move it and its attached measuring wheel one intertooth space vin the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, to thus bring a measured quantity of the material to be dispensed into register with the discharge opening 22 of thecontainer holder, to permit it to dropv through by gravity. Thereafter the lever V2'7Iis returned to its original positionvby means of a'springBO. The measuring 'wheel may be held against any possible back-lash movementby means of a spring 31, Fig. 3.

The bottom of container- 10 has an inclined conical surface concentrically disposed and as shown clearly in cross section in Fig. 1.

The driving mechanism consistsv of three bevelled gears 32, 33 and 34. Gear 34 is rotatably mounted in a stationary horizontal bearing, not shown, but ycontainedin the upper part of stand 21, said gear transmitting motion from gear 32 to gear 33 to turn the latter gear in a. direction opposite .to that of the former. Gear 32 is free to rotate with the measuring wheel 24 and ratchet Hand lever 2'7 is pivotally mounted on the hub of gear 32 and carries the pawl 29 which engages with the teeth of ratchet 26. When the lever 27 is moved by hand from its normal position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3 to its dotted line position, pawl 29'moves the ratchet 26 one-tooth space in clockwise direction, looking down from the top. This brings theV charge carrying pocket i 24a, Fig. 2 into discharge' position 24h, where a the United States is desired, isztumbler or other container placed underneath receives the charge of dispensed material.

Simultaneously with thisVY movement of the measuring wheel gear 32 also turns gear 33 in an Vopposite direction through the intermediate gear 34 to in turn rotate shaft 39 extending.V upwardly through sleeve 25. Shaft 39 in turn is keyed to a stirring member 35, disposed above the guard Yil and through whichY the material drops into Vthe pockets ofthe measuring wheel. Hence, shaft 39 turns thestirrer 35 in an opposite direction or counterclockwise lookingYYY down from above. Y By its movement, this stirring member, which includes a plurality of thin arms extending from Y a central portion thereof, sweeps the material j oif the conical surface and also the horizontal n surface of said guard plate 41, the latter being vcombination of a container, a horizontally disstationary and separating the material in the container from the pocket in the discharge po-ff sition so that only the material in the pocket isV discharged. The stirrerV also deposits the powder into the other pockets of the, measuring wheel 24.

Pivoted on the shaft or sleeve 25 of bevel gear f 32 and resting on the fioor of holder 20 is a shutter plate 36. Aportion of this plate is cut out to conform with the discharge opening 22 in the holder. In the normal position of the lever 27, this opening of, the shutter plate is out of register with theV discharge opening. In this position it makes Van air-tight seal, preventing atmospheric moisture from entering the container; and this is important in the operation of the dev vice, since any moisture thatis permitted to env slot in the-floor of the holder 20 (Fig. 1)... Im-

mediately upon the release of the handle 27, its spring 30 returns it to its., normal position, and also brings the shutter opening out of register with the discharge opening, thus closing the opening effectively.

It will be apparent from this construction that a further great advantage of the dispenser is the easy Vway by which it may be adapted to measure different quantities of powder. For instance, by simply substituting a spacer ring 42,

and a measuring wheel of different width, any desired quantity can be measured, using the same style'dispenser.

It is to bev understood that the present disclosure is `for the purpose of illustration only,

and that the invention is not limitedthereto. To those skilled inthe art, manymodications of theY invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that part of the method and means may be used without other parts thereof, many such combinations of the parts readily suggesting themselves. Therefore, it should be, and is to be distinctly understood that -for a denition of the limitations of the invention, reference must be had to the appended claims. Y,

Having now described the' invention, whatis claimed as new and for which Letters Patent of 1. A dispenser for powder-like .material includ-- ing a container, a oor therein, said floorhaving an aperture therein through which the material may pass, a. fixed cone-shaped element pointing upwardly and located in the lower part of the container, and a stirrer element located above thercone element to wipey the material from the cone and from the floor to said aperture.

2. A dispenser for powder-like material Yincluding a container, aiioor therein, said'oor having an aperture-'therein through which the material may pass, a Xed cone-shaped element Vpointing upwardly and located in the lower part of the container, a stirrer element located above the cone-shaped element to wipe the material from the cone and from the floor to said aperture, aclosure for-said aperture, and means to actuate said closure to open said aperture.

1 3. In a dispenser for powder-like material, the

posed measuring wheel beneath said container, a guard Varranged above said wheel, a` cone-shaped member on said guard, said guardl having an aperture therein, a scraper arrangedto scrape the material from the cone andthe guard plateto discharge it thro-ugh said opening, said measuring'wheel having a plurality'of compartments arranged to receive the material from the container through the aperture in said guard, and means whereby the material may be discharged successively from said compartments. Y K

4. In a dispenser, a container having a horizontal bottom lportion with a discharge aperture therein, a measuring wheel placed beneath the container and adapted to receive material through said aperture, a containerholder adaptedV to support the container and also l thenieasuring wheel, and having o-ne dischargey opening, a part of the container bottom forming a shield plate over the discharge opening in said container holder, and a shutter for said discharge Yopening, said shutter beingV located between the measuring wheel and the bottom of the container holder. f v

5.y The'invention as in claim 4, including a stirrer for the material to be dispensed, and means for actuating it in a. direction oppositeto the movement of the measuring wheel and simultaneously with said movement, while discharging the material from the dispenser. Y. l

6. The combination in a dispense-r of a container, a holder'therefor, a measuring wheel positioned between them and having a plurality of oharge'carrying pockets, means for rotating the measuring wheel, a stirring member positioned over the measuring wheel, and a guard between the stirring memberand the measuring wheel, said guard having an upstanding conical central portion Yand a'surrounding horizontal portion.

7. The invention as in claim 6, including meansfor rotating the measuring wheel manuallyV a predetermined distance, and other means associated'therewith for simultaneously rotating .the stirring member in an opposite direction.

8. The combination inA a dispenser of a ccntainer, a bottom therefor having an' aperture, an 'y upstanding conical surface centrally disposed in the container bottom, stirring means adapted to be rotated Aover said container bottom, a measuring wheel positioned beneath saidl bottom, means for manually moving the measuring wheel and stirring means simultaneously in opposite directionasaid `means including a manually operated lever adapted to Abe moved a predetermined,

distance in one direction and containing Vspring means adapted to return it to normal position when released.

9. The invention as in claim 8, including a container holder having a discharge opening, a closure plate over the discharge opening, and means adapted to move said plate to close said opening while the manual lever is being operated.

10. In combination, a container having a discharge opening, a holder therefor, a measuring wheel positioned in the holder and beneath the lcontainer, a stirrer positioned above the measuring wheel, a bevel gear and a ratchet secured to a sleeve to move with the measuring wheel, an intermediate gear in mesh with said bevel gear, a second gear in mesh with the intermediate gear and secured to the central shaft projecting upwardly through a central hole in said sleeve, and through the measuring wheel to the stirrer, said shaft being adapted to rotate in a direction opposite to the measuring wheel, and lever means adapted to be operated manually in one direction, and a pawl on the lever means adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet to turn said ratchet and the first mentioned gear a predetermined distance.

1l. The invention as in claim l0 including means for returning the manual lever means to original position when released.

12. The invention as in claim 10 including means for closing the discharge opening in the container holder by movement of said lever means.

13. In a dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a measuring element in the bottom of said chamber, a stirrer located immediately above said element, means located beneath the measuring wheel to rotate said measuring wheel, means extending from beneath the measuring wheel to the stirrer to rotate said stirrer relatively to the measuring wheel, and means whereby a measured quantity of material may be discharged from the dispenser.

14. In a dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a measuring element in the bottom of said chamber, a stirrer superposed on the measuring element, driving means connected to the bottom of the measuring element to rotate said measuring element, means extending upwardly through said driving means to rotate the stirrer relatively to the measuring element, and means including a finger-piece whereby a measured quantity of the material may be discharged from the dispenser.

l5. In a dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a measuring element in the bottom of said chamber, a stirrer located immediately above said element, means to support the measuring element and the stirrer to rotate about a common axis, means located beneath the measuring wheel to rotate said measquantity of material may be discharged from the dispenser, and means operable by the last mentioned means to actuate both of said rotating means.

16. In a dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a measuring element in the bottom of said chamber, a stirrer located immediately above said element, means including a shaft connected to the bottom of the measuring wheel to rotate said measuring wheel, means including a shaft extending through the first mentioned shaft to rotate the stirrer relatively to the measuring wheel, means having a discharge opening therein and located under said measuring element, a shutter to normally close said aperture, and means to actuate said shutter to discharge a measured quantity of material and to actuate both rotating means.

17. In a dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a measuring element in the bottom of said chamber, a stirrer superposed on the measuring element, driving means extending upwardly to the measuring element to rotate the latter, driving means extending upwardly through the rst mentioned driving means to rotate the stirrer, means including a discharge opening and located under said measuring element, a shutter to normally close said aperture, means to actuate said shutter to bring an aperture therein into register with the first mentioned aperture to discharge a measured quantity of material, means associated with the actuating means to operate one of the driving means, and means connecting the latter with the other driving means.

18. In a measuring dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a rotatable measuring wheel in the bottom thereof, said wheel having a central portion and arms extending therefrom to form measuring pockets, a stationary cone-like member supported above and independently of the central portion of said wheel to shed the material into the pockets, means for scraping the material from the cone-like member, and means whereby the material may be discharged from one of said pockets.

19. In a measuring dispenser for powdered material, the combination of a supply chamber, a rotatable measuring wheel in the bottom thereof, said wheel having a central portion and arms extending therefrom to form measuringpockets, a

stirrer superposed on the measuring wheel and rotatable relatively thereto, a xed cone-like element located over the central portion of said wheel to shed the material into the pockets, and an arm integral with and extending horizontally from the edge of the cone-like element and over a part of the pocket portion of the wheel, and means whereby the material may be discharged from one pocket at a time.

20. In a dispenser, the combination of a casing, a rotatable measuring wheel therein, said measuring wheel comprising a hub and arms radially disposed thereon to form pockets, and a spacer ring in said casing to surround said wheel, said casing having an aperture through which the material may be discharged from any one of the pockets, said ring and said wheel being replaceable by similar ones of different dimensions to vary the quantity of material discharged from the dispenser.

FREDERICK C. SCHOENING. 

